Shoe-shining machine.



'R. R. yMQELHAIIY. SHOE ySHLNHIG MACHINE. uPmoAmloN 'Pimm SEPT. 19, 1911.

1,063,991.'` Patented June 1o, A1913'.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. E?.

F'YIELS.

WITNESS/5sv R. R. MOELHANY.' SHOE SHNING MACHINE. lAPPLIOATION FILED SEPTJQ, 1911.

1,063,991. 4 Patented June 10,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

JNVEN'VTOR.

A Troie/v5 Y.

'tlhtltiitlllli hltlectlltl ROBERT R. MCELHANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSGOR T() NATIONAL ELECTRIC SHOE SHINING MACHINE COMPANY, OF FITTSBURGH, EENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF DELAVARE.

SHPE-SHINING .'LVIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i ,oeaoor To f// fur/wm i# may Concern:

15e it. known that Lloniurrl. Mt' CLHANY, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county ot ,"tllegfheny'and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a ne and useful lnnorovement in tihoehininp; Machines. of ivhivh the tollowine is a specification.

My invention relates4 to machines for automatically polishing boots and shoes and it hasl `for its object to provide a maehineotthis character ivhir-h lhall be particularl)v strong` and durable in structure and reliable and ell'eetive in operation, and in which the power `tor driviugthepolishingbrushes shall he simply and eflqectively applied by auch meansI as shall be fre/e trom liability to displacement or breakage.

.ln the accorupanyingjT drawings .Figure 1 a view, ]`,\artially in side elevation and partially in sectiifn, otl a machine emlmdvine; my invention, certain parts being omitted for the sake ot' clearncss: Fig, 2 is a Vfront elevation of the machine shown in lfm'. 1./ the liront wall otE the casing' and the toot rest being omitted; Fig'. is a view, mainly in plan but partially in section, ot' the brush carri-ige and the l)rush-operating meehanism7 the brushes being' removed g' Fig. 4 is a sectional vi w 'it the frame and a plan vieuv of the brush caimiazejc and the bruslnoperating' meehanisnn the carriage being shown in "its rear\\.'ard position; Fig'. 5 is a plan viev;

ot the machine shown in Figs. 'l and Q, thev elet-trie motor being'oinitted and the trame lit-iup; shown in section; Fig. Gis a detail view ot' the can] tor operating the polishing brush and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the toe hook and its operating mechanism.

The frame work l for inclosing the mechanism embodying my invention is of skeleton torni and is surrounded and inclosed by a .suitable casing 2, only a portion of which 1s .shown infFig. l, such portion beingprovided with an opening 3 for the insertion of a shoe lto be polished. The front of the casing` is also provided with rods 5 to be grasped by the individual who is making use of the machine.

,eet or near the top of the frame work is av platform S upon which is mounted an electric motor 7, and, mounted in suitable bearings at the rear of the frame is vertical ghaft 8, the upper and of which 'is geared Patented June 11G, 1.9i 3.

Serial No. 650,249.

to the electric motor by means of beveled gearing' 9, as indicated. The shat'tv 8 com prises three sections which are connected together by suitable couplings 10, and the middle section is provided with a worin 11 which meshes vvith a ivorm wheel 12 to drive shaft 14. Shaft 111 carries a rear l5 that meshes xvith a gear ivheel 1G mounted upon a shaftV 17, bearings for which are provided in the bracket 13. r1 `he shatt 1T is provided with crank arms 18, the free ends ot which are joined to the upper ends ot rods 19, The lower ends ot the rods 19 are connected to the outer ends of the shorter arms ot bell crank levers QU. rl`he bell crankr levers are mounted upon a shaft 21 having bearings in brackets 22 which are fastened to the trame. The free ends of the longer arms of the levers Q0 are connected by means of rods 2?) to al shaft 24C that is provided with guide wheels Q5 for a carriage 2G. Other supporting' and guide wheels 2T for the Par" ringe are also provided, which, together with wheels 25, rest and move upon guide rails 2S, connected at their ends with forward and rear supports 8G, .87, on a suitable base or frame.

Journaled in suitable bearings upon the base of the frame 1, beneath the carriage,' shaft 29 that is either square in cross sec-tion or is otherwise so formed as to receive a bevel gear Wheel S0 and rotate the same as the shaft is rotated and also permit longitudinal movement thereof. The ,shaft 29 is rotated by means ot a bevel gear 31 which meshes with a .corresponding gear wheel 32 on the lower end of the shaft 8 which is geared to the electric motor 7.

lviounted near the rear end of the carriage Q6 is a vertical shaft 33, preferably square in cross section, having!` thereon a toe brush 34 and a polishing brush 34 for the toe and top portion of a boot or shoe and having also a driving pulley 35, the polishing brush 34 having such connection to the shaft as to permit it to be moved vertically, independently et any movement of the shaft. but being rotatable with the shatt, in a manner well known. The toe brush 34 is.' intended mainly for preliminary cleaning of the toe of the shoe and tor the application of blacking thereto and is constructed wholly of bristles. The polishing brush 31 tilt-es Saum the cam to operate the brush-aetnlerer 65.

The shoe rest 59 is provided on its upper surface with a conparatircly large nuniher o sharnly pointed upwardly projeeting pegs which hy engagement with the sole ot the shoe tend to resist. the side thi-ust ot the polishing hrush 34 during operation. At its forward portion, the shoe rest 59, sh'oivn in Fig. 7, is further provided with a toe hook 73 whieh normally projeots upwardly in front. ol the. shoe and forms a stop for properly positioning the .saine prior to polishing thereof. The. toe hook 7i]- is pivoted upon the shoe rest 59 and is provided with a downwardly extending; lever 74 which projects into the path of a lug 75 upon a bar 7G fastened to a permanent part. of the hrush carriage. lllpon rearward motion of the carriage this lug To oontarts with the lever 7.4 and raises the toe hook into position. At the beginning of the fori'ard motion of the Carriage` however, the lug 75 moves out. of Contact with the leter 74 and the toe hook drops or" its own weight, thus giving room for the. operation oi` the brushes and full contarle thereoi with the shoe.

Vlihile the apparatus for supplyingr polishing material to either -the hrushesl or shoes to he polished may he of any desired kind, so ar as structural features are eoneerned, l Willhriefly desorihe the elements which l have embodied in my apparatus for supplying suoh material. ,provide an air-storage tank 68 in the upper part of the easingy and, adjaeent thereto, l mount. an air pump (Si). the piston rofl Z0 oi'f which is suitahly connected to the worm Wheel l2 in order that air may he compressed and supplied to the tank for use, desired. t a lower point, in the frame Work l support a tank '7l oi: polishing liquid and Connect` the air and liquid tanks hy n'ieans ot suitable. pipes to spraying nozzles 72 that are. properly loeated in order that the liquid may he sprayed upon the hrushes for application to the hoot or shoe to he polished. Uf course the spraying nozzles may he so located as tio spray the liquid upon the shoes direct, if so desired.

4The manipulation of suitable Valyesor eontr'olling the supply of air and liquid to the spraying nozzles may he effected hy means of' any suitable devices suoli as are well known in the art and are adapted for operation by the notor -and the gearing. lt will bealso understood that any Well known means. may be employed for automatically interrupting the circuit of the electric motor and that any suitable prepayment devices may be used in connection with. the spraying mechanism 'hy of properwhich the insertion of coin-oi tlf size and weight 'ani en se re e nome portion of the nieehanisin that. the manipulation of a lever or hutton will .serve to start'. the niaeliine in operation. lt is not heliet'ed to he neressary to deserihe in detail these features ot eonstruetion i'or automatieally .stoppingr the inoi'eineut and t'or starting' it hy ineans ot' a ruin and suhseiuieut manipulation hy pressure of an external push hui'- ton or leier. sinee such derives are well known in the art and in lgeneral use.

ln making use ol the inaehine. the hoot or shoe to he polished is plaeed upon tlie rest land the inotor is started in af'eordanf'e with the usual prarlire. 'l`he hrushes will all he rotated hy means oi" the shaft S. the herel gear wheels and the hell and .rollin-ration" pullors and the hrusli eat-ringe will start lorward toward the shoe. upon its supporting' and .guidinej traf'ks. .\t the hen'inuing' ol the travel of the rari-infie. the toe hook will drop downwarfll)1 and the lieel-hriuhes will more inwardlyr engaging willi the shoe. at ahout its middle portion. l'pon -further movement of the earriage in a loi-ward di reetion. the heellirushes will inot'e inwardly around the heel ol the shoe under the.inlluenre ol the springs 4?. tihe same time. the side hrushes lil. will have. eneaied with the forward portion ol the shoe. and upon rearhing' the middle portion thereof will he moved outward-l)r away iroui eontar't vwith the shoe 'hr the engagement of the rollers 7T with tlie inelined portions oi' the ruido liar 7S. 'l`he weight' ot the side hrusl'aes il. 43 and their floatingT77 adjustinenten theii'drivine shafts will rause theni to adjust. tlien'iselres to the partieula'r shoe heine; operated upon. Further motion of the earriaeje will lit-ine' the t'oe-hrusli 34 into engagement with the end of the Shoe. Durinrf this first forward movement o'l tho earriaife.. the roller (il has heen in contact with ay hiegh portion SQ of the eani and the polishing hrush fill" entirely out ot' eontaet with the shoe.l (in the first return mort ment olE the carriage. the aetions ot' the brushes are the saine in the reverse order. yl`he Erst Complete reeiproration ot' the. earriasre merely aeet'nnplishes the preliminary Cleaningr and hrushine` oiE the shoe. .As the oarriage reaches its. rearwartlposition 'the ratchet G2 is inored one noteh and the polish- .ing' hrush 34 is lmrered into operating position. At the lieginnii'ieV oi the. seeond outward roeiproeatiou, lilarlt'in;Y is sprayed upon the heel, side and toe-hrushes. 'lhese brushes then delirer they hlaeking' tothe shoe. and start to shine it, the polishing hrush also aetinzgr upon the top of the shoe.. 0n the third reeiproeation.I except that. no blaokinf.Y is supplied, the operation is the saine, all brushes operating` to shine the shoe and give iii its final polish. itt 'the end of the third reeiprooation, the yratehet (i2 is moved a. tlird'isitne and the second high portion 82 of reciprocation the earn raisest the polishing brush to its idle position. The machine is then automatially stopped in the. usual manner and is in condition for polishing another shoe or for re-polishing the same shoe. in accordance with the particular adjustments ot the motor stopping device.

'1. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination of a horizontally movable carriage, means for imparting a reciproeatory movement thereto, ame-polishing brush. a pair of side brushes and a pair of heel-brushes each rotatably mounted upon said carriage upon a vertical axis, means for rotating said brushes, and means for raising the toepolishing brush to maintain the same out ot contact with the work. and means for moving the Vheel and side brushes out of Contact With the Work at certain periods in the of the carriage. 2. In a shoe polishing machine. the combination of a longitudinallyv reeiproeatory carriage, a motor and interposed operating mechanism, a setl of rotary brushes movable mounted upon vertical axes upon said earriage, gearing between said brushes and said motor, and means for autmnatieallv moving said brushes transversely with reference to the work at a certain period in the reciprocation of the carriage. v

3. ln ashoe polishing machine. the keombination with a reciproeatory carriage, a motor and interposed operating mechanism, a toe-polishing brush, a pair ot sidebrushes and a pair of heel-brushes, gearing for eontinuously rotating said brushesl duringmovement. of the carriage. u `aus tor moving the heel-brushes toward each other and means for moving the toe-polishing brush vertically as the carriage moves to its rearward posit-ion.

4. ln a 'shoe polishing machine, the Combination ot a trame. a foot rest mounted thereon, a reeiproeat-ory carriage mounted on the frame, swinging yoltes on the carand eoiiperating ringe, brushes on the yokes.

tor moving means on the yoltes and trame fthe brushes into and out of engagen'ient.

with the work atI eaeh reciprocation ot the carriage` a rotatable polishing` brush movably mounted on the carriage and yieldingly held againsty the work, and means for moving the polishing brush out of engagement. with the work during dill'erent reciproeations oi the earrial e.

5. ln a shoe polishing machine. the com binatiou ot a trame. a toot' rest mounted thereon. a reeiprtuatory carriage mounted on thei'l'ame, a pair oi heel-brushes movably mountedthereon` springs connected to the heel-brushes and arranged to cause them l to move. toward said 'l'oot rest, :ibid-ments at, the rear end ol the trame, and rods eonneetcd with said brushes and arranged to engage with said abutments to move the heel-ln'ushes awa)v from the foot rest, as the carriage moves rearwardly.

6. ln a shoe polishing machine, the combination ot' a toot rest, a. brush carriage movable to\\"ard'and away therefrom, heel. side and toe-polishing brushes mounted on the Carriage, the toe-polishing brush normally held in work engaging position, mechanism for reciprocating the arriage, means operatively connected with the carriage reciprocating mechanism for raising' the toe polishing brush out of work engaging positions and means operative upon movenient vot' the carriage for moving-the side and heel brushe'slaterally toward and away from the foot rest.

7. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination oth frame, a foot rest mounted thereon, a reciproeatory brush carriage mounted on the trame, a double armed yoke `trame on the carriage a rotatable brush r0- tatabiy mounted in the` arms of the yoke, a relier mounted on the yoke to move with the brush and guiding means on the frame for engaging with the roller to move the brush from the foot rest.

S. ln a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a frame, a foot rest', a reciproeatory brush carriage mounted on the fraaie, and sell adjusting side brushes slidingly mounted upon verticalaxes thereon.

9. ln a .shoe polishing machine, the combination of a frame, a foot-rest, a longitudinally reciproeatory carriage mounted on a traine. swinging brush yokes mounted on vertical axes on the carriage, rotatable brushes mounted for rotation upon Vertical axes in the vokes and arranged to loosely slide vertically thereon, and means for swinging the yokes laterally toward and from the toot-rest at a certain point in the movement of the carriage.

l0. ln a shoe polishing machine, thejeombination oi a foot rest, a brush carriage movable toward and away therefrom, a brush mounted thereon. a movably mounted toe hook and means tor supporting the toel hook in 'front ot the. foot rest While'the carriage is positioned away from the latter.

ll. ln a shoe polishing machine.' the combination ot a foot. rest. a brush carriage movable toward and away therefrom. a polishing brush mounted thereon, a toe hook pivot'ally mounted on the foot rest and means tor projecting the toe hook above the level of the i'oot: rest as the carriage moves away therefrom.

l2. ln a shoe. polishing machine. the combination of a foot rest, a brush carriage movable toward and away therefrom. brushes mounted `thereon, a toe hooi( pivotally mounted ou the toot. resty and nlug mounted on the carriage to engage the toe hook.

ln a shoe polishing machine, the com-l being s 

